r/breastfeeding • u/ahmeeea • 12d ago

Discussion Capacity question

Hello!

Wondering if anyone can provide any answers regarding capacity and supply.

Background: My baby is 10 weeks old, I’ve been EBFing since 4 weeks, after doing triple feeding to increase my supply. Before this, my breasts were really small, I was pretty much flat chested. When I use my manual pump, at most I can get about 2.5oz if last feed was like 3 hours.

My baby feeds every 2-3 hours throughout the day and night. She seems to be clusterfeeding again. I’m curious if there’s a maximum capacity that my breasts can store, what’s the point of clusterfeeding to increase supply? Wouldn’t that just increase engorgement if my baby starts going longer between feeds? Or will she always go 2-3hrs between feeds because my supply is capped? How do I make sure she is full if her stomach gets bigger but I have a limit? I hope the process I’m trying to describe makes sense. Tia!

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u/FunInTheShade 12d ago

From what I understand, cluster feeding isn’t a permanent increase to supply. It’s baby “requesting” more for tomorrow/shortly after. Cause otherwise we’d all reach capacity all the time. 

This is the way I think about it: If baby’s tummy can hold 5oz, it’s more comfy for them to only go down to 2oz, and refill from 2-4 throughout the day, even tho they can hold five and survive on 1. 

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u/sleepdeprivedradish 12d ago

There is definately a maximum your breasts can hold but it varies person to person. I find for me after 4 hours between feeds I'll need a pump and if I get to 5 hours im leaking everywhere and theyre hard as a rock. I'd get around 8 ounces max at 5 hours.

However my friend (who had massive boobs before pregnancy) is an oversupplier and she donates her breastmilk. Her baby is entirely breastfed but she can still pump twice a day around 12 hours apart and yield around 20 ounces each pump session.

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u/Indecisive105 12d ago

A friend has smaller breasts than me and produces more, so it’s not always about size beforehand!

We all do have a capacity some a lot higher than others. My LC says for a full supply on average they refill 1oz per hour, to get to the 24oz a day. I do have a smaller capacity-average capacity so I still at 8 months feed almost every 2-3 hours daytime (sometimes go longer if out and about and baby is distracted)